While the release of Pathaan was mostly smooth all over India Today (25th January), there were a few cinemas which could not screen the scheduled film because of tension created by outfits which were demanding a ban on the film. The Shah Rukh starrer has been in the eye of a controversy ever since its trailer was released. Bajrang Dal and VHP members objected to Deepika Padukone wearing a saffron-coloured swimming costume in the Besharam rang song in the film. Since saffron is considered holy by devout Hindus, the objection was to the swim suit of that colour juxtaposed with the words in the Besharam rang song in the film.
The film could not open in Rangmahal Sangeet cinema of Bhopal because the Bajrang Dal did not permit its release there. Shows of the film were also cancelled today at Gayatri and Lokendra Talkies in Ratlam following threats made by local Hindu outfits. Police bandobast was provided to the cinemas. In Agra, members of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha disrupted the screening. However, prompt police action was taken against the wrong doers, and the film was then screened peacefully. There were cases of tension in some cinemas of Rajasthan too. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal objected to the screening of the film in Bhilwara a day prior to its release.